Elizabeth Cady Stanton's Positive Impact On Society

As Americans, we pledge to fulfill our duty as citizens to achieve “liberty and justice for all.” When Elizabeth Cady Stanton took this pledge, she proved to be a true patriot, bringing suffrage to American women. When Martin Luther King Jr. took this pledge, he put his own life at risk in order to protect the lives and rights of his fellow Americans. When Rachel Carson took this pledge, she wrote a book dedicated to exposing the dangers of pesticides to both the environment and the American people. When I took this pledge, I considered all the activists who came before me and I made it my personal mission to dedicate myself to making a positive impact on society. Oftentimes, to remind myself of the importance of activism and service to others, I consider a quote by the South African revolutionary, Nelson Mandela: “action without vision is only passing time; vision without action is merely daydreaming; but vision with action can change the world.” Being socially responsible gives our actions purpose. When school policy prevented girls from representing our school’s Spirit Squad, I campaigned for more inclusivity, and was met with overwhelming support from my

Flint, Michigan still doesn’t have clean water, but relief groups, individuals, and celebrities alike have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, working to bring clean water to the city in any way possible. Without the generosity and social responsibility of these people, the inhabitants of Flint, Michigan may have had to suffer from years of lead-poisoned water, leading to illness, birth defects, and even death. Activists are still necessary in this crisis, however. Until Flint has access to clean water, their marginalized community relies on the voices of other responsible American citizens to make their struggle known, and bring justice to their